Sand not settling!

[RISEANDFLOAT]

I just pruchased a 30 lb. bag of CaribSea sugar-sized Aragonite sand for my new 29G saltwater tank I am setting up. I placed half the bag in the tank two days ago before realizing that I should have rinsed it so I rinsed the other half and placed it in the tank. The bag says it does not need to be rinsed before placing it in the tank but may take longer to settle. ( 24-48 hrs )

The tank is still not settled and I am now wondering if I should take it out and rinse it all. I already had the saltwater mixed in the tank and filled up before I put the sand in. I placed my hand down in the sand bed this morning to see how sensitive the bed really is. I pulled some of the sand back from the front glass and a huge cloud emerges. I think this might not be the sand I should have chosen?! Maybe I should get a larger grain size?

 

[melosu58]

It will take longer than that. I would say 3-5 days. Give it time, it will settle.

 

[RISEANDFLOAT]

ok GOOD! I was really not going to be happy if I hand to take it all out and do something different. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Sadielynn]

Just be sure to rinse your carbon pads (if you are running them ) daily if not add one turn off your PH and if possible add a second filter should be cleared with in a day or 2

 

[aquazen]

If it's the Caribsea Livesand, no rinsing is required. You want all that magical goo in there. Mine took about 3 or so days to settle out if I remember correctly.

 

[roka64]

I rinsed 230 LBS of sand 6 times each batch and my tank still took about a week to settle. I have found it is easier to add the sand (in a new tank) when the water is in there, otherwise you have to stir it to get the air pockets out of it.

 

[Sadielynn]

I did not rinse ours however there is no sourse to keep the bacteria live ... I like it because it is prewet and sinks to the bottom with fewer free floating particles to seize up impellers and such ... There is nothing magical in it because it is sitting on a shelf for how long till it gets to the LP/FS and sits there how much longer there is nothing feeding the pods or bacteria or even O2 getting to them the only thing magical is that it sinks 100x faster than dry IME

 

[cmor1701d]

Have you started to cycle your tank yet?
If not, the sand may never settle. Throw a raw shrimp in there to start the cycle.
What causes the sand to settle is that it becomes coated with bacteria which now makes it heavy enough to settle on the bottom.
My tank was cloudy for over a week (300 pounds of sand). Today I can pull up a handful and it will settle in about 5 minutes